Page 19 - MENU Mag - July/August 2017

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO ENTER THE EVENT MARKET?
HERE'S SOME EXPERT ADVICE:
KEEP IT SIMPLE. “You don’t want your regular diners to su er,” says Saurette. “That might mean limiting yourself to smaller groups.” Think about the extra noise that comes from hosting a large group, and what it means to serve multiple parties from the same kitchen.
START SMALL. Bearfoot Bistro serves huge crowds now, but they’ve had over 20 years to get it right. Saint-Jacques says when you start small, you can use equipment from the restau- rant kitchen, which lets you test the event mar- ket without making a big up-front investment.
BE ORGANIZED. “There’s lots of pre-planning and details, and you’ll need lots of sta , ” says
Saint-Jacques. And Saurette adds, “It’s import- ant that all the details are written down—you’ve got to get them right.” Your reputation depends on you getting those details right.
REGARDLESS OF THE SCALE OF YOUR EVENTS, HAVE A STEADY POOL OF LABOUR YOU CAN ACCESS. For Saurette, this means scheduling events at times that are convenient for regular sta . For Saint-Jacques, it means having an occasional sta of 140 or more that he can call upon.
OFFER ADD-ONS. “We o er a drinks package on the night,” Cornhill said. It adds to the cus- tomer experience, and increases pro tability.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT STORAGE. If you have a small space, consider whether you have the room to store additional equipment and supplies.
USE IT TO HELP YOUR ESTABLISHMENT GROW. “Do it, enjoy it, and carve yourself a niche in the market,” says Cornhill. “It increas- es the awareness of what we do and creates a buzz on social media. It’s nice to see posts from people who missed the event and want to come to our next one.” Saurette adds, “It’s a chance to reinvigorate your business.” He suggests
you work with your local BIA or Chamber of Commerce: “Know who’s coming to town, and work from there.” m
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